Beware the Russian Leather!!!

[stevebrot]

Or at least the FSU leather! I was out with the Kiev 4A several days ago and had a brush with near disaster. I had the camera in the bottom half of a Kiev everready case and was walking along with the leather case strap over my shoulder and one end of the strap loose against the fingers of one hand. I suddenly felt the strap sliding rapidly against my finger and reflexively pinched it between finger and thumb. That action was done just in time and caught the camera about 1/2 inch short of the pavement. The other end of the strap had broken at the strap lug on the case, putting the camera into a free-fall that I was lucky enough to catch.

That was a real wake-up call. It never occurred to me that the leather straps on my cases might be compromised by rot. No more carrying cameras around by antique straps. I am replacing them with modern fabric or leather versions attached via the body lugs! (At least for those cameras that have body lugs!)


Steve

 

[gb hill]

If your straps are those long thin leather straps like on my FSU camera cases I don't depend on them either. MOF I don't even like to carry my fsu cameras around in leather cases. The only one I do is my Fed 5 because of no strap lugs. It has a nice new case & the strap isn't rotted but the lugs the straps henge around are cheap.

 

[Uwe_Nds]

What has it got to do with Russian leather? This could have happened with any other 50 year old leather strap including Leica and Rollei.

Nothing specific for Russian leather.

Cheers,
Uwe

 

[Nikon Bob]

What has it got to do with Russian leather? This could have happened with any other 50 year old leather strap including Leica and Rollei.

Nothing specific for Russian leather.

Cheers,
Uwe

That is what I was wondering too. I had to replace the leather strap on my M4. Leather goes bad over time and with wear.

Bob

 

[Steve M.]

You just can't trust the tanned, old, dried skin of a big dead animal these days.

 

[stevebrot]

What has it got to do with Russian leather? This could have happened with any other 50 year old leather strap including Leica and Rollei.

Nothing specific for Russian leather.

Cheers,
Uwe

I have a 40 year-old Pentax strap that is still quite good (tongue in cheek) that I use with my Canon P. The strap that failed is actually on a much newer case that was made for a Kiev 4AM so it was only about 30 years old. I had inspected the straps before I put the case into service and was incredibly surprised when it failed. Regardless, your point is well taken and is actually close to why I posted in the first place. It is best to not trust the old leather straps with any of our vintage gear.

Steve

(@gb hill...I use the half cases to protect the body, improve handling (large hands) and to help avoid light leaks, though I have to admit that I have not had that problem with the Kiev.)

 

[Pherdinand]

it's ukrainian leather, anyway 🙂

 

[raid]

Russian leather sometimes smells very bad. Now that's another issue than what is being discussed in this thread. The rumors are that cows urine was used to treat leather.maybe this is a hoax. but it sure smells bad.

 

[Ducky]

OP should read, "Beware anyone trusting old leather straps."

 

[julio1fer]

I had exactly the same accident happening to me, but with a Leica IIIa in its original case. So maybe it is not a FSU problem.

It was in February 2003, getting our of an airport, in the rain. I was very lucky to hold the camera just in time.

The incident taught me to never trust old leather again.

 

[stevebrot]

OP should read, "Beware anyone trusting old leather straps."

But then who would read it! 😀


Steve

 

[Ducky]

OP should read, "Beware anyone trusting old leather straps."

In retrospect it does sound a little sarcastic, sorry Steve. I should have put a comma after 'Beware', it would have been better and more to your point.

 

[ChrisPlatt]

I wouldn't trust any older leather strap. They are frequently a disaster waiting to happen.

Chris

 

[gb hill]

(@gb hill...I use the half cases to protect the body, improve handling (large hands) and to help avoid light leaks, though I have to admit that I have not had that problem with the Kiev.)

I totally agree with you Steve. I like the 1/2 case on my Fed5. Just don't care for the strap. & there are different types of leather, so your post about the russian leather is spot on. Louigi would dare make a case from the same leather as the type that comes with a Zorki or a Fed!

 

[special.foto]

It's happened to me too. The strap snapped when i was taking a picture, so there was no danger because i had my fed 5 in my hands. I'm still searching for a new half case with a strap, because it has no lugs. Any sugestions?

 

[ath]

Why do you use rotten straps to carry your camera?

If you carry your camera on a strap make sure it is in good shape and capable to do the job. Regardless of origin and age.

 

[mtargz]

Or at least the FSU leather! I was out with the Kiev 4A several days ago and had a brush with near disaster. I had the camera in the bottom half of a Kiev everready case and was walking along with the leather case strap over my shoulder and one end of the strap loose against the fingers of one hand. I suddenly felt the strap sliding rapidly against my finger and reflexively pinched it between finger and thumb. That action was done just in time and caught the camera about 1/2 inch short of the pavement. The other end of the strap had broken at the strap lug on the case, putting the camera into a free-fall that I was lucky enough to catch.

That was a real wake-up call. It never occurred to me that the leather straps on my cases might be compromised by rot. No more carrying cameras around by antique straps. I am replacing them with modern fabric or leather versions attached via the body lugs! (At least for those cameras that have body lugs!)


Steve

Pretty much the same thing happened to me last week. I was sitting at a work-meeting and held the camera at chair-height when the strap tore. Luckily, I caught it millimetres from the floor - but better yet, it snapped during the meeting, rather than during my ~30km/h sprints bicycling to/from work.

The case in question held me grandfather's Zorki 2S.

 

[Alowisney]

This is good advice for old Soviet rifle slings as well. I had one snap on the "dog collar" sling on my Mosin-Nagant m91/30 while I was unslinging it. I caught it before it hit the concrete, luckily.

 

[gb hill]

Why do you use rotten straps to carry your camera?

If you carry your camera on a strap make sure it is in good shape and capable to do the job. Regardless of origin and age.

Most times the leather doesn't appear rotted. The leather straps are cut too thin & dry out I think! The leather strap on my Zorki case is 52 tears old & appears good but I wouldn't trust carrrying it. My Zorki 2s has lugs anyhow so I don't use the case.

 

[stevebrot]

Most times the leather doesn't appear rotted...

This was exactly the case. There was no specific indication of wear beyond the leather being rather soft and "fuzzy" on the napped surface.

I guess I just dodged the bullet and am lucky to still have functioning camera. Lesson learned.

Now it is off to Knight Camera here in Vancouver to see what Mike has in his magic box of straps and cases. (For those of you in the Portland, Oregon area, Knight Camera is a great place for the odd used item. I have purchased several straps and cases (camera and lens) from him over the years. Unfortunately he generally does not have FSU stuff, but then again, no one around here does!)


Steve